In view of increased demand for four-wheel drive vehicles, a plethora of power transfer systems are currently being incorporated into vehicular driveline applications for transferring drive torque to the wheels. In many vehicles, a power transmission device is operably installed between the primary and secondary drivelines. Such power transmission devices are typically equipped with a torque transfer mechanism for selectively and/or automatically transferring drive torque from the primary driveline to the secondary driveline to establish a four-wheel drive mode of operation. For example, the torque transfer mechanism can include a dog-type lock-up clutch that can be selectively engaged for rigidly coupling the secondary driveline to the primary driveline to establish a “part-time” four-wheel drive mode. When the lock-up clutch is released, drive torque is only delivered to the primary driveline for establishing a two-wheel drive mode.
A modern trend in four-wheel drive motor vehicles is to equip the power transmission device with an adaptively controlled transfer clutch in place of the lock-up clutch. The transfer clutch is operable for automatically directing drive torque to the secondary wheels, without any input or action on the part of the vehicle operator, when traction is lost at the primary wheels for establishing an “on-demand” four-wheel drive mode. Typically, the transfer clutch includes a multi-plate clutch assembly that is installed between the primary and secondary drivelines and a clutch actuator for generating a clutch engagement force that is applied to the clutch assembly. The clutch actuator can be a power-operated device that is actuated in response to electric control signals sent from an electronic controller unit (ECU). The electric control signals are typically based on changes in current operating characteristics of the vehicle (i.e., vehicle speed, interaxle speed difference, acceleration, steering angle, etc.) as detected by various sensors. Thus, such “on-demand” transfer clutch can utilize adaptive control schemes for automatically controlling torque distribution during all types of driving and road conditions. Such adaptively controlled transfer clutches can also be used in association with a center differential operably installed between the primary and secondary drivelines for automatically controlling interaxle slip and torque biasing in a full-time four-wheel drive application.
A large number of adaptively controlled transfer clutches have been developed with an electro-mechanical clutch actuator that can regulate the amount of drive torque transferred to the secondary driveline as a function of the electric control signal applied thereto. In some applications, the transfer clutch employs an electromagnetic clutch as the power-operated clutch actuator. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,407,024 discloses an electromagnetic coil that is incrementally activated to control movement of a ball-ramp drive assembly for applying a clutch engagement force to the multi-plate clutch assembly. Likewise, Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 62-18117 discloses a transfer clutch equipped with an electromagnetic clutch actuator for directly controlling actuation of the multi-plate clutch pack assembly. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,561 discloses use of an electromagnetic actuator for engaging a pilot clutch which, in turn, controls energization of a ball ramp unit for engaging the main clutch.
As an alternative to such electromagnetic clutch actuation systems, the transfer clutch can employ an electric motor and a mechanical drive assembly as the power-operated clutch actuator. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,323,871 discloses a transfer clutch equipped with an electric motor that controls rotation of a sector plate which, in turn, controls pivotal movement of a lever arm that is operable for applying the clutch engagement force to the multi-plate clutch assembly. Likewise, Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 63-66927 discloses a transfer clutch which uses an electric motor to rotate one cam plate of a ball-ramp operator for engaging the multi-plate clutch assembly. Finally, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,895,236 and 5,423,235 respectively disclose a transfer clutch having an electric motor which drives a reduction gearset for controlling movement of a ball screw operator and a ball-ramp operator which, in turn, apply the clutch engagement force to the clutch assembly.
In contrast to the electro-mechanical clutch actuators discussed above, it is also well known to equip the transfer clutch with an electro-hydraulic clutch actuator. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,862,769 and 5,224,906 generally disclose use of an electric motor or solenoid to control the fluid pressure exerted by an apply piston on a multi-plate clutch assembly. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 6,520,880 discloses a hydraulic actuation system for controlling the fluid pressure supplied to a hydraulic motor arranged which is associated with a differential gear mechanism in a drive axle assembly.
While many adaptive clutch actuation systems similar to those described above are currently used in four-wheel drive vehicles, a need exists to advance the technology and address recognized system limitations. For example, the size and weight of the friction clutch components and the electrical power requirements of the clutch actuator needed to provide the large clutch engagement loads make many systems cost prohibitive for use in most four-wheel drive vehicle applications. In an effort to address these concerns, new technologies are being developed for use in power-operated clutch actuator applications.